My invention relates to a board game and more particularly to a board game device and method utilizing strategic placement of playing pieces and alignment thereof in a specific pattern for scoring
Games involving moves of playing pieces over a board having a pattern and relying on alignment of the playing pieces to determine the scoring are well known. Generally, such games are based on principles similar to those used in tic-tac-toe in which each player seeks to play his pieces to achieve scoring alignment, or to block an opponent from such scoring alignment, in a strategic race to a finish. In some such games, for example, that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,896, the element of chance is further introduced in that, although the board game playing discs are marked "O" or "X", the player must select a disc at random and is unaware of its marking until it is to be played. U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,293 discloses a game utilizing a board surface having a rectangular grid of sixteen openings and sixteen spherical elements that relies on chance reversal of the colors of the spherical playing elements. Instead of utilizing alignment for scoring, alignment is utilized to determine the moves for reversing the color of the elements with each player proceeding in alternate moves. The player who must reverse the last element is the loser.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,926, there is disclosed a tic-tac-toe alignment game in which playing pieces of three different colors or shapes are placed in one playing area. The playing area receives a playing piece from each of the three groups of playing pieces which are drawn in turn by each player. Points are awarded to the player completing a row of identical pieces by placing the last of such a piece in a row in tic-tac-toe fashion. In one embodiment, translucent colored playing pieces are used on an illuminated surface to provide additional colors by placement on top of each other during successive turns. Other variations on tic-tac-toe have utilized playing elements offering more than two choices of shape or color. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,011 discloses a game display unit having an array of display elements arranged in a series of rows extending in two directions, each element of which has a body rotatable about a shaft and is provided with a series of display faces, preferably three, for exposure in different rotary positions so that the number of possible patterns for a tic-tac-toe type of game is increased. The game board disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,829 is to a similar effect although utilizing rotatably mounted indicia bearing balls arranged in a series of rows and columns. The indicia on each ball, a plurality of different colored spots, are preferably arranged in pairs in diametrically opposed relation. The arrangement of spots and pairs is such that the pattern formed by one player is different from the pattern formed by a player on the other side of the board as a consequence of which one player cannot anticipate the plans and moves of his opponent.
A regular rectangular grid board game disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,535 utilizes a plurality of first playing pieces each of which has one of two contrasting characteristics and which is placed on the playing areas according to selection by a player. Second playing pieces are in the form of apertured plates which overlie the playing areas of the board and through which the first playing pieces are viewable, according to different patterns, to ascertain scoring. U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,120 discloses a board game which is challenging to both youngsters and adults in which the concept involved in tic-tac-toe is expanded so that not merely shape but another concept, such as shape and color, is involved. Each playing piece is designed to exhibit two physical characteristics relating to such concepts. Points are scored for three or four like characteristics in series on a regular rectangular board. Exemplary is a four by four grid board using sixteen playing pieces comprised of four sets of four pieces in each set each of which have different characteristics.
Thus, it can be seen that there have been many prior art attempts to devise games based on tic-tac-toe principles but which can also provide more interesting appeal from the standpoint of game structure and aesthetics as well as greater challenges in order to attract and hold the attention of the players. However, as can be seen from several of the patents discussed above, some such attempts have resulted in games with physical structure that is comparatively complex and expensive to manufacture and purchase as well as inconvenient to use. Alternatively, in other games where interest has been added primarily through the element of chance the interest provided by strategy and the educational value of the game has been diminished. Accordingly, the prior art solutions to developing games of greater interest and challenge than single concept games such as tic-tac-toe, for play by adults as well as children, have been many and varied and frequently not commercially sucessful. Thus, there remains a need for a board game device and method which relies on familiar principles for playing and scoring but which nevertheless provides a greater challenge in the play of the game itself, without complexity in the rules involved, while at the same time providing educational value along with entertainment and which is economical to manufacture and durable for long use.